The English Football League, the Football League in old money, will announce the fixtures for the 2016-17 campaign at 9am tomorrow.

Here’s a bit of background as to how it’s all put together and the thinking which goes into producing the list.

So they’re not just drawn out of a hat?

Apparently not. Planning starts in November for release the following summer with IT contractor Atos doing the bulk of the number crunching.

In March clubs are allowed to submit a fixtures questionnaire detailing specific date requests around things like conflicting music festivals, race meetings, rugby matches, international fixtures and even political party conferences.

According to the EFL website: “Each request has an impact on not only that club’s fixtures, but the club they pair with, and if they’re in a multi-club policing area, then those clubs also.

“In the West Midlands, for example, one date request will have an effect on all six clubs within that area.”

What about the long midweek trips?

The league try to balance when those long away trips are scheduled - but more local matches are set aside for weekends - rather than midweek, to maximise attendances. And no doubt reduce the risk of unrest.

Which is also why there don’t tend to be derbies on the opening day or Boxing Day. Those weekends are already likely to be good sellers anyway.

Also policing requirements and costs are factored in.

Spare a thought for West Brom fans who have to go to Arsenal on Boxing Day and Southampton on New Year's Eve.

Do you take into account which games were played last year on key dates?

The league monitors ‘key dates’ over a five year period to give a spread of home and away dates on opening day, final day and over Christmas and New Year.

The league even reckons it tries to ‘avoid duplication of fixtures from previous years’. At least they won’t be able to send Blues to Bolton on the final day this year!

The fixture list isn’t the fixture list until Sky Sports have got hold of it.

Indeed not - although there will be a LITTLE more clarity this year as the opening day TV matches will be announced at the same time as the rest of the list.

And the following weekend’s selections will be made just a few days later.

What about the hoax list a few weeks ago?

It was just that - a hoax. Whilst it looked a good effort, on closer inspection, there were a number of fixtures that wouldn’t be permitted with regards to the pairings of clubs’.

Do clubs have any more say?

Yes, they have a ten day period to request changes to kick-off times and ‘minor day changes’ ie to a Friday night or Sunday.